


Trouble On The Horizon

by Alezandrite



Series: The Lion and The She-Wolf [2]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arya had a shady past, Arya is a little bit gay for Margaery, Everyone Is Alive, F/F, F/M, M/M, Polyamorous relationship, Trans! Margaery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-03-12 17:23:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 7,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13552077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alezandrite/pseuds/Alezandrite
Summary: The first year of a marriage should be peaceful and happy, but when a scandal rocks King’s Landing nothing will ever be the same.





	1. Chapter 1

“Is this The Raven Times hotline?” 

“Yes, it is what is your tip sir?”

“You may want to get a pen and pad of paper first.” 

“Why?”

“It’s about the Lannisters.”

“What about them?”

“How they bribed the Frey’s, the Bolton’s and the Greyjoy’s to oust the Stark’s out.” 

••••••

Today was a slower day than she was use to, what with Jaime away at work and Joanna starting kindergarten there was not much to do around the Brightroar estate so of course Arya took this free time and ran with it visiting friends, trying to find inspiration for her next project and of course her weekly visit with Sansa. Being the only relative close to them in the city the she-wolf has brought it upon herself to visit her sterotypical housewife of a sister at least once a week just so her mother doesn't hound her about never visiting so here she is making her rounds.

“It’s starting to become a pattern, Arya.”

“I don't know what you mean.” 

“You were the last to get married and now you'll be the last to have kids.” 

“You’re starting to sound like Mother.” Arya pointed out to Sansa as the two of them sat in the living room of the Baelish house watching Sansa’s oldest child, Alayne, a young girl auburn hair and bright blue eyes the spitting image of her mother and grandmother color while the newest Baelish napped not too far away.

“Petyr thinks it's odd that you've been married a year and still not pregnant.” 

“Why should I be in such a rush to get pregnant? I'm still getting use to parenting the one child I already have.” 

“That’s right you adopted Jaime’s love child after the honeymoon.” 

“Her name is Joanna and you know that!” She scolded the older woman with a tone of voice that said in volumes not to test her she may be part of one of the richest families now but her claws are still sharp. After spending the past year with the little girl while trying to adjust to living in Brightroar the two of them have become quite close bonding over their mutual love for being outside and of course drawing. Sure the little girl doesn't call her mother right now or ever in the future she figured that having her as a mother would be better than having Cersei as one so she might at least have a shot of turning out decent.


	2. Chapter 2

“Have you read this mornings paper?” Arya greeted her husband that evening as she stood over the stove finishing up dinner when the golden haired man in a suit walked into their house while their child sat near by reading one of the library books they checked out earlier that day. On the menu tonight was her famous grilled chicken one of Jaime’s favorite and once she saw the paper this morning the she-wolf thought ut woud be nice if he had a nice meal waiting for when he came home after the crappy day he no doubt had. 

“Didn’t have to my father was practically yelling about it throughout the office all day.” 

“That’s rough, do you want me to fix you a drink to go with your dinner?“ 

“No, just being with my two favorite girls brightens my day.” 

“Well if it makes you feel better my father sent out a mass text calling for a family meeting so it didn't just send your father scattering.” The short woman explained as she motioned for the three of them to sit down and start digging into the meal while Joanna went on as if nothing had happened her father had a shocked expression on his face like he had just seen a ghost. 

“Why?”

“Aparently during the time period that the paper is claiming everything happened Stark Industries was in the middle of a law suit and guess who it was against?” 

“Who?”

“Bolton and Greyjoy.” 

“Jesus...I guess that means you're making a trip to Winterfell then?” 

“It will only be for the weekend and anyway it'll be good for Jo to get to know my parents.” 

“As long as you promise to bring back the same lion cub and not a wolf pup?” Jaime Lannister teased his wife as he kissed her forehead before clearing the table of any dirty dish, leaving her to put the little lion cub to bed which she didn't mind if it meant getting out of dishes. 

“Which story are you going to read to me tonight, Arry?” 

“It all depends if you're a good girl and get into your pj’s then brush your teeth like you're suppose to.” 

“What if I don't brush my teeth?”

“Then the tooth fairy will never come because she only takes clean and healthy teeth.”

“I’m gonna brush my teeth now!”

“That’s what I thought.” The brown haired beauty muttered before she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist, then a kiss on the back of her neck telling her that the golden boy had rushed through the dishes and was now looking to get friskey but he would have to wait in their bedroom until their cub is sleeping.

“Have any energy left for a romp in the bedroom?” 

“I’m starting to think that you like getting bossed around.” 

“What can I say? I'm good at taking orders.” 

“You’re unbelievable!” 

“That’s not what you said during our honeymoon.” He shot back at her with a smug look on his face as the kissing and touching began to heat up which she wasn't having because their child was feet away and the last thing they needed was for her to walk out and see this so Arya pushed him away before beginning to straighten out her hair and shirt just as Jo came walking out of the bathroom in her dinosaur pajamas.

“I’m all already, Arry!”

“Awesome! Now let's pick out our next adventure!”


	3. Chapter 3

“Is there a reason why you had me drive all the way out here to Casterly Rock?”

“I called Brightroar but no one answered.” 

“Arya and Joanna went to Winterfell for the weekend.” Jaime Lannister explained as he sat down across from his father in the older man's study while the Lannister Patriarch poured both of them a glass of Scotch before returning to his seat. He was planning on getting a head start on some work at the office when his father blew up his cell phone which shocked him since he never gave his father his cell number the only people who do know are Tyrion, some friends and of course his wife.

“At this time of the year?”

“She thought it would be good for Joanna to get to know her parents.” 

“Oh, I was hoping to see her today.” Tywin answered in a melancholic tone of voice  
which convinced him that out of all of his grandchildren so far Joanna seemed to be his favorite, but having another set of grandparents will be good for her, especially with his mother gone and his father refusing to remarry Catelyn Stark may be her only chance to have a grandmother.

“Anyway...let's discuss what you really called me here for.” 

“Can’t a father want to see his son?”

“Did you bribe Frey, Bolton and Greyjoy to oust Ned Stark out?” 

“I may have done many things, but ousting Ned Stark was never one of them!” 

“Stark was suing Bolton and Greyjoy the only way they would turn on them is if Frey offered them a better deal, which they couldn't do without talking to us!” The Lannister heir shot back as the air between them went from calm to accusing in seconds like they were both backed up into corners over the course of their little shouting match. Never in his life did he think he'd be in this situation, but he married Arya and Jaime wouldn't put it past his father to do anything to get what he wants no matter what the cost.

“I don't know how the Greyjoys fit into this, but I'm going to get to the bottom of this even if it means purging the ranks of Lannister & Lannister!” 

“Yelling at each other won't solve anything.” 

“You didn't tell me you invited Cersei.” 

“That’s because he didn't.” Cersei Baratheon replied as she stood there in the doorway wearing a gold and red pantsuit along a look on her face that this was businesses as usual the only way the situation could get worse is if Tyrion and his Targaryen wife had showed up also but thankfully it didn't get that out of hand. 

“Father, I'm going to need another drink and make it a double.”


	4. Chapter 4

Arya Lannister stood looking out the window of her father's study watching as her daughter played in the snow with the other children under the watchful eye of her mother at first she had been worried that Joanna wouldn't get along with the children of her brothers and cousin, but she was happy that she was proven wrong watching the scene down below was a distraction that the she-wolf was happy to have ignoring the serious discussion that her father, brothers and cousin were having. The dark haired woman had gotten so use to the warmer climate in the city that she was now wrapped up in a thick jacket to the amusement of everyone at Winterfell, but she wasn't here for pleasure just to get to the bottom of whatever was going on so they could go back to their lives. Sitting in front of Eddard Stark's huge mahogany desk was the four men she grew up with who were no longer boys with chubby faces, but are now men with chiseled jaws and the same beard that all Stark men wear like a northern badge of honor. 

“Has Jaime said anything about the scandal?” 

“Only that his father is furious.” 

“Of course he would be that whole family just had their dirty laundry aired across the front page!” 

“That’s rich coming from you, Robb, after all you're just the husband of a Frey and  
bestfriends with a Greyjoy!” 

“Walda has nothing to do with her Grandfather's business and Theon hasn't spoken to his family in years you’re the one who decided to marry one of those greedy Lannisters!” 

“Then why don't you go downstairs and explain to Robbert that he can't play with Jo because she's a greedy Lannister!” Arya yelled at her older brother in such a way that everyone knows will escalate to something more physical if it's not stopped and just because he's her brother doesn't mean that will stop her Jon still has the scar from when she chucked a book at him. 

“All this yelling isn't getting us anywhere.” 

“Then what should we do? Two of our associates may have sold us out!” 

“There is only one thing we can do, Uncle Ned.”

“And what is that?”

“We flush out the rats.” Jon Snow gave his uncle the only solution he saw fit for this particular situation and of course some level of resistance would be expected from the board members, but if they wanted to survive this then they may have to get their hands dirty and he knows just the man for the job. 

“And who do you have in mind?”

“Alliser Thorne, he's the one who sorted out the kerfuffle last year for the Black Brothers.”

“Black Brothers as in the seedy bar downtown that caters to bikers?” 

“He doesn't care who hires him as long as he gets paid.” 

“Yeah, most criminals do.” Robb muttered underneath his breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear much, to Jon’s chagrin and the amusement of the younger Stark brothers who have yet to say anything, just sitting there letting the others fight it out which was great fun up until a certain point.

“Enough fighting! What say you Bran and Rickon?” 

“Alliser Thorne does sound like a criminal-"

“Ha! See I told you!”

“But Jon has a point if we have someone loyal to us Starks do it, they may not know what to look for so I think a pair of fresh eyes would be best.”

“I second that.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Winterfell is lots of fun, Arry!”

“I’m glad you think so, I know I had a lot of fun here when I was a kid!” 

“What’s that over there?” Joanna asked as she pointed away from the courtyard of the manor at a bone white tree with blood red leaves that had a chilling face carved into it, of which was no doubt carved into the wood generations earlier, that stood ten feet away from them. A part of the she-wolf was taken aback by the fact that here stands this little lioness who doesn't seem the least bit afraid of it like most people who aren't Northerns which amused her since it would appear that Robbs oldest, a little boy named Torrhen who has auburn hair and high cheekbones, was so afraid of it that he could not look at it without crying. But the other part of Arya Lannister the motherly part was proud that when Joanna came face to face with the pinticule of Northern culture she stood tall and proud like a she-wolf. 

“That’s a weirwood tree...it's been standing there since before I was even born.”

“Is it really that old?” 

“It’s so old that it's even in a picture that my great grandparents took.”

“Really?!”

“I’ll show you it sometime, maybe the next time we come visit." She explained to the little girl as Arya knelt in front of Jo before standing up and leading her to the car they had a long trip ahead of them and she wanted to get on the road before it started to get dark, knowing full well that it would be the girls’ bedtime by the time they made it back to Brightroar. 

“Can we visit soon?”

“Not too soon we don't want your dad to be all by himself at Brightroar do we?”  
\- 

“Hello?”

“It’s nice to hear your voice again.” The deep voice on the other side of the phone told her as Arya stayed focused on the road while trying to figure out who owned the so familiar yet so foreign voice that decided to call her so late at night. While trying to rack her brain on who could possibly be calling her this late at night the she-wolf went down the list of possible callers first there was Jaqen, but he knew she was out of town plus the voice didn't match, second on the short list was Jojen Reed a family friend who was often high and making prank calls, but she had it on good authority that he had sobered up and last but not least was Sandor Clegane but since the voice had a happy tone she quickly ruled him out. 

“Who are you?” 

“Has it really been so long that you have forgotten my voice m’lady?” 

“I thought you left the country?”

“Am I interrupting you while you play house?”

“I’m not playing! I'm married now and I have a daughter!” Mrs. Lannister yelled into the cell phone in an angry voice before remembering that Jo was sleeping in the back before lowering her voice trying not to lose her cool but this person from her past knew which buttons to push and how hard to push them. 

“Let’s be honest, Arya, you’ve never been the marrying type.”

“Well, I am now!” 

“I don't believe for a second that Jaime Lannister tamed you long enough to marry you, let alone put a cub in you!” 

“Gendry...go fuck yourself!”


	6. Chapter 6

“Evidence has surfaced of what we feared to be true this morning the editor of our paper, R. Harlaw, received an email of bank statements showing that the Lannisters did in fact deposit money in the accounts of Frey, Greyjoy and Bolton on numerous occasions. Despite the statement Tywin Lannister gave us earlier this week claiming his family has had no contact with these families has proven false. Following the viewing of a photograph of his grandson, Joffrey Baratheon, attending a sporting event with those of the Frey, Greyjoy and Bolton families that was also in that email sent by an anonymous sender.”  
\- The Raven Times  
————

“Why am I not surprised to see you here, Loras?”

“What? Can't I attend a family dinner with my husband?” 

“Loras Tyrell, husband of Renly Baratheon, can but I'm curious to why Loras Tyrell, ace reporter for The Raven Times, would want to.”

“Why, Arya Stark! Are you accusing me of shady reporting skills?” The youngest Tyrell child pretended to be offended as the two of them stood off to the side while they watched as the other guests moved into groups according to their age like it was the most natural thing. While she wasn't as well acquainted with the Tyrells as her sister was the she-wolf had heard enough about Loras to know that he was clever and knew how to play the game better than his sister and grandmother gave him credit for.

“Lannister. You forget that I married Jaime Lannister.” 

“I never forgot, but let's be honest you're more Stark than Lannister and I'm sure your kids will be too.”

“That’s where you are wrong my daughter is a Lannister through and through.” 

“That’s because she's Jaime’s daughter.”

“I’m starting to understand why people hate you.” Arya stated in a voice that lost its pleasant tone that it had earlier in this conversation, but it has disappeared and the dark haired woman was contemplating if she could also disappear without being noticed by one of the other guests. Thankfully, before she could escape her knight in shining armor made his way away from whatever conversation he was having with the middle Baratheon brother, Stannis, who had also made it a point to get a front row seat to the shit show that was most definitely going to happen before the night was over and whisked her away from the thorny rose. 

“We should take our seats, dinner will be served soon.” 

“Where’s Jo?”

“She’s playing with Shireen and Tommen in the other room.” 

“I’ll go get her.” 

“No, I’ll do it. Go get us some good seats, preferably not in the splash zone I don't want to throw out this suit the day after buying it.” Jaime reassured his wife kissing her before taking off to retrieve their daughter leaving her alone once again with a different, yet still interesting dinner guest which of course was none other than Stannis’s wife, Selyse, who was sitting next to another woman one that has red hair who kept leaning over whispering into the homely woman’s ear. There had been whispers here and there about the three of them some say that she is Stannis’s mistress whom he has been seeing on the side if that is true then why she is here acting friendly? But there's also another possibility when she was studying at the Westeros Liberal Arts College she was rooming off campus with three other girls who everyone thought were just roommates, but in reality they were in a polyamorous relationship or a triad as they liked to put it and the two ladies in front of her were showing the exact same signs of which Arya couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride to see them out and about. 

“Arry! Shireen and Tommen showed me how to draw a direwolf!”

“That’s great, sweetie!”


	7. Chapter 7

“Thank you for inviting us, Cersei, the food is wonderful!” 

“We would have hosted it at Brightroar but the place is such a mess! Oh, I don't blame you, what with your up and coming art career and raising another woman's child, I don't think I would be able to keep the place clean either.” The shapely, blonde woman commented in between taking a bite of her pork chop and a large drink of wine causing a long period of uncomfortable silence amongst the dinner guests not including Arya and Jaime who both clenched their fist in anger as the others looked on waiting to see the couples next move. But instead of her twin scolding her like he did when they were children quite the opposite happened up stood the she-wolf with the angriest look, she's ever seen on another woman like she was ready to fling herself across the table. 

“At least Joanna isn't messed up like Joffrey is!” 

“My Joffrey is a good boy!” 

“Your Joffrey is a psychotic mama’s boy and we all know it!” 

“Kind of like your Aunt Lyanna? That little psycho harlot was off her meds when she crashed that car, killing her and the married man she was having an affair with! Rumor has it that your father was going to lock her up-“

“Like you're all high and mighty! You were young and beautiful once! Look what you have become an old, drunk!” Arya’s voice boomed at Cersei and those who sat around them with such anger that for a split second a glimpse of hurt could be seen in the older woman's eyes, but within a blink of an eye it left her body along with any other emotions that isn't rage or anger. The she-wolf must have been too focused on glaring at her sister-in-law and mortal enemy that she didn't notice Cersei grabbing her mostly full wine glass until said ladies arm shot up throwing the dark, red liquid that is Mrs. Baratheon’s favorite wine onto Arya’s face and chest surprising the rest of the dinner party no doubt staining the dress.

“My, my this wasn't what I expected from the daughter of Catelyn Stark...but then again, you don't look much like her do you?” 

Arya Lannister didn't expect much from a dinner party hosted by Cersei but this was too much even for her and that's coming from someone who was a proud member of the Sorority of Black and White back in college but she knew her limits and this was it. Seeing that her dress was far from saving the she-wolf gracefully reached back, unzipping the dress before stepping out of it much to the shock of everyone around her leaving the dark haired woman in only the ivory slip she was wearing as Arya politely folded the ruined material before giving a smile to her hosts and leaving the table without looking back.


	8. Chapter 8

Arya has never been as close to her Tully relatives than she was with her Stark uncles, Brandon and Benjen, and she would be the first to admit it despite her family from Riverrun visiting more often than her uncles so when she heard about her Uncle Edmure being arrested, she didn't think too much of it but once the words embezzlement and Stark Industries left her mother's mouth while talking about him Arya instantly became interested. Alliser Thorne had barely been sniffing around for a week when a expense report from last month was dropped in front of him practically covered in red ink explaining that a sum of money that was supposed to be given to numerous charities went missing, but then resurfaced in a Riverland bank and apparently the bank had no problem with giving up the identity of that account’s owner who was none other than her mother's fool of a younger brother. Her mother, who is famous for being calm and stable in times this, had called her that morning hysterical about how he was dragged out of bed by the police with his pregnant wife and young child watching along with what the neighbors must think the hours had seemingly passed by as she listened to her mother vent which was odd because it was no secret that out of her two daughters Sansa was clearly her favorite so why she decided to call her was a mystery to Arya the conversation only ended when the she-wolf brought up that she needed to pick up Joanna from school. 

“You look like a mess.” 

“Why Jaime Lannister you say the nicest things!” 

“You know what I mean.” 

“Do I?” Mrs. Lannister teased her husband as she stood at the counter mixing both of them a drink a skill that the woman in a stylish denim jumpsuit was proud of which she should be after spending four years mixing drinks to make it through art school. She watched the older man as he loosened his tie and get comfortable in their living room wanting nothing more than to give him a sensual massage but since she didn't want to traumatize Jo this early on so she continued to put the finishing touches on her whiskey sour having already finished his martini minutes ago.

“Let me rephrase that...you look like you've had long day.” 

“After spending most of the day on the phone with my mother that is the understatement of the year!” 

“What was wrong?”

“Apparently hearing my uncle embezzled from Stark Industries had marked the end of the world for her.” 

“Really? Edmure Tully?” 

“Well, it definitely wasn't Brandon “Hot Head" Stark."

“You got me there.” Jaime conceded as he watched the petite woman walk towards him with what only could be described as bedroom eyes, but what fire that were in his eyes disappeared once the drink was in his hand as he practically downed his drink in minutes like his life depended on it. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing.”

“You practically downed your drink in three minutes flat!”

“I was thirsty.” 

“Jaime…”

“I was out and about today when I saw Walder Frey having lunch with Ellyn Reyne.”

“Reyne? I thought the Reynes and Tarbecks were run out of town by your father?” Arya asked in a confused voice as if she didn't completely know what was going on but what she did know was that her husband was troubled which was something he rarely let show to anybody let alone her.

“He did...but it would appear that they're back.”


	9. Chapter 9

Arya was worried. Worried about her husband who had been sitting up in bed since they had retired to their room while staring off into space like he was drugged up or something but she knew the strongest thing Jaime takes is alcohol. In a way she was also scared, scared because she's never seen him like this or anyone else for that matter and she had no idea what to do to help him, which frightened the shit out of her because they're married and married couples are supposed to help each other with stuff like this.

“Jaime...are you okay?”

“Huh?”

“You’ve been staring off into space for hours! Are you okay?” 

“A question has been bugging me since yesterday.”

“What question?” 

“What if my family is being framed?” Tywin Lannister’s heir softly asked in a voice so different from his usual loud tone that it shocked her for a minute before moving from her spot on the left side of the bed until the she-wolf was leaning against him giving Jaime all the support she could physically give.

“Why would someone do that?” 

“Lannister & Lannister was going to be given the title of the wealthiest law firm this year.”

“Lots of people are envious of your family's success, why wait until now to pull the trigger?” 

“I don't know, but I would bet my life that Walder Frey and Ellyn Tarbeck are behind it.”

“Sansa has a ton of connections...I could ask around if that helps you sleep at night?” The woman of the north asked in the most loving voice as she wrapped her arms around him giving the same tight, warm hug Arya loved getting from her father hoping that it would bring him the same comfort that it gave her. 

“Will you kiss me goodnight?” 

“Depends, where do you want the kiss?” 

“Mmmm something south of the border.” 

“You’ll have to be quiet only I get to hear your desperate moans!” 

“Possessive are we?” Jaime teased her a sign that he was feeling better and in a frisky mood as he slid down onto his back, knowing full well what was to come for him as Mr. Lannister watched his she-wolf climb on top of him straddling his lap with a wild look in her eye that he knew came Arya’s wolf blood.


	10. Chapter 10

“Are you sure she's the only one that can help me, Sans?”

“If anyone is going to have an inkling of an idea of what's going on it will be her.”

“I just don't want to drive all the way out there and be turned away.” 

“You’ll be fine Margaery reassured me that you're more than welcome to have tea with the Queen of Thorns.” The older Stark daughter explained to her over the phone as she drove from King’s Landing to Highgarden one not so busy day that had no deadlines or people to take care of which was a great relief to her. Honestly Arya just hoped that the Tyrell matriarch was different from Margaery or Loras, who think they're the cleverest people to walk the earth, which is a quality that she absolutely could not stand in any person. She knew Winterfell wasn't grotesquely huge as Harrenhal or solid and impregnable to look at as Storm's End and definitely not as beautiful as Highgarden but all in all the she-wolf would make do in the larger than life estate. 

“I hate tea.” 

“You hate mom’s tea.”

“I hate any kind of tea!”

“You and you’re hatred of tea.”

“Do I have to go? I'm in the mood for some greasy food!” The she-wolf whined to the red wolf as images of fried foods danced in her head, making her mouth water at the thought of biting into some crispy fried chicken that made oil run down her hands. If there was any food that she could eat forever it was any item on the menu of Hot Pie’s food truck. 

“You can get greasy food any time.”

“Not Hot Pie’s chicken!“

“No!”

“But Sansa!” 

“She’ll be serving oolong tea with fireplum scones and if you truly want any sort of information you’ll drink the tea!” Mrs. Baelish fumed from the other side of the phone while the sounds of children playing in the background started to echo throughout the car, causing Arya to smile a bit though she’d never publicly say she preferred her nieces over her sister and brother-in-law but it was true. 

“Fine.”

“Listen, I gotta go I need to put Minisa down for her nap.”

————

“And here I thought I'd be drinking all this tea by myself.” 

“Sorry, I got lost.” 

“Doesn’t matter sit down before the tea gets cold!” Olenna Tyrell called to the younger woman after said guest entered the sun room that looks out at the family's famous golden roses, twenty or so minutes later than she was expected to arrive which didn't please the so called queen but it didn't anger her either at least as far as Arya could tell. Sitting in front of them was a platter of perfectly golden scones with bits of fireplums here and there with two ivory tea cups that would make her sister along with her mother envious that held cupfuls of steaming hot fruity tea. 

“Thank you for-"

“Marriage seems to suit you.” 

“Well-" 

“And to a Lannister no less!” 

“About that-"

“Nobody thought you two would go through with it, let alone that Ned Stark would let a lion become an in law.” 

“That’s why I came here today...I'm happy with Jaime and Joanna but some unsavory things have been going around about his family and Jaime thinks that someone-" Arya Stark Lannister began to explain, but was cut off by the queen of gossip who finished her sentence weirdly enough but she pushed that unusual thought out of her head as the she-wolf gave a look like Olenna had just read her mind.

“Might be blackmailing them?” 

“Yes.”

“You think Frey, Bolton or Greyjoy might be responsible?” 

“Them or maybe Ellyn Tarbeck.” 

“Ellyn Tarbeck?” Mrs. Tyrell asked in a shocked voice stopping her from lighting a cigarette before giving her guest a look as if she hasn't heard that name since before her youngest grandson was born. 

“Apparently she is back in town and having lunch with Walder Frey.” 

“I’ll make you a deal. If you paint my granddaughter’s portrait I'll give you everything I know about them.”

“Deal!”


	11. Chapter 11

By this point in her career Arya has done many portraits, but there was something about sketching the thick chestnut curls and big brown eyes of Margaery Tyrell that made the shorter woman lose herself in them even though girls like her were a dime a dozen in The Reach. But her skin looked as soft as silk without a single blemish or trace of past acne, making Arya almost want to reach out and touch her perfect features she suddenly knew what Sappho meant when she said “There is no place for grief in a house which serves the Muse.” because sitting in front of was the definition of an artistic muse. A part of her wondered how Sansa became friends with this girl in the first place, but she knew then remembered that sweet, fire kissed Sansa was the civilized one making friends left and right while everyone turned up their noses at her. 

“You’re awfully quiet behind that sketchbook...I don't know whether I should be flattered or insulted.”

“I apologize, I get really quiet when I sketch, I didn't mean to upset you!” 

“Relax, I was joking.” 

“Oh.” 

“You’re really different from your sister.” The only daughter of Mace Tyrell observes while she eyed the she-wolf up and down, making her a bit uncomfortable since she’s never been this close to a pretty woman and not have a drink, or in one situation a glass of very expensive wine, flung in her face. 

“I take after our father, she takes after our mother along with all of our brothers.” 

“So you are the only lady Stark with wolfsblood?”

“Technically, I'm a Lannister now, but-"

“Are you as wild as they say you are?”

“I-I am a she-wolf after all.” Arya stuttered as she watched her client get up from the stool she was sitting on and walk the short distance between them until eventually Margaery was straddling her lap in a suggestive manner. Now all up and personal with each other she could smell the rose water that was dabbed onto the supple areas of this goddess a part of her wondered if Olenna’s granddaughter tasted as good as she smelled. 

“Has the she-wolf ever been pricked by a rose?”

“Depends...has the rose ever been ravished by a wolf?” 

“We could always find out.”

“Feisty!”

“I think I might have something you’ll like.” Tyrell purred into the younger woman's ear as she took a hold of one the northern ladies free hands and sensually placed it on the front of her pants, letting the wolf feel the sudden hardness occurring in the southern area as Marge began to suck a large hickey into her neck leaving a huge, purple mark on her.


	12. Chapter 12

A part of Mrs. Lannister wondered what Olenna did professionally before she married the ever so wealthy Luthor Tyrell and creating one of the richest families because after doing Margaery's portrait a manila envelope that is as thick as several phone books waited for her inside of her once locked car. There were things in that envelope about the Freys, Boltons and Greyjoys that she was sure they didn't know about themselves. Like how Old Walder Frey mysteriously made his seventh wife disappear after learning his six children with her were not really his or how Domeric Bolton faked his own death so that he could live out his dream of being a musician and last but not least how Euron Greyjoy sexually abused two of his brothers fucking them up so bad that one turned to religion (Aeron) the other turning to the lethal life of drugs (Urrigon). Seconds turned into minutes, minutes turned into hours before eventually all the words started to blur causing her to take a step back throwing in the flag even though she's not even halfway through the mound of paper angering Arya like none other not finding any leads the she-wolf marked her place before hiding the file in a place in her bedroom closet.

The artist turned private investigator tossed and turned as she desperately tried to achieve some form of sleep until eventually she gave up recognizing that slumber wouldn't come to her unless it was assisted by one or two alcoholic beverages. Too lazy to get out of bed Arya just laid there in bed, staring up at the beige colored sealing instantly regretting allowing Jaime to paint their room beige because honestly it's such a boring color that and it reminds her a doctor's waiting room. ‘I like robin egg blue...maybe I can repaint the room when Jaime is away on business.’ Stark-Lannister thought to herself going on to list numerous supplies that she would need until something stopped her thought process. She's seen that color somewhere before racking her brain on where she could have possibly seen that color until Arya’s eyes grew as wide as a dinner plate before she threw the covers off her, letting the petite woman slide off the bed before darting towards the closet ripping open the doors, grabbing the envelope and dumping everything out onto the bed before scrambling threw everything until she finds an envelope sized piece of light blue paper. Which she did after ten minutes of going through every piece of paper until she found what she was looking for a document telling her the connection these three families have his name is Lothor Brune and it would appear that he served in the army with a member of each of these families. 

————

“Why are you phoning me this early in the morning?” 

“Just answer the question, Tywin!” 

“Yes, the firm was broken into two weeks before the first article was printed but I don't know what that has to do with anything.” 

“And they did arrest someone right?“

“Of course they did! The idiot was still rifling through the files when they caught him!” A very grumpy Tywin Lannister confirmed from the other side of the phone as she glanced at the clock reading the neon numbers that spelled out two twenty seven am ignoring how fucking early it was. 

“Was anything missing?” 

“Just a file.”

“An important file?”

“Yes.”

“How important?” Arya questioned her father-in-law listening to his response while writing down the important things that she'd need later, hopefully to add it to the stack of dirt and maybe give her husband a much needed a piece of mind.

“Important enough for someone to break in and take it but so were the others.”

“The suspect was Lothor Brune right?” 

“Don’t know the bastard’s name, but he has friends in high places.” 

“Why would you say that?” 

“He was let go the next morning without a single charge pressed against him!” The Lannister patriarch seethed over the phone like an injustice was done to him like he was the most innocent person in the world.


	13. Chapter 13

There are many things that Arya never told her family or even Jaime for that matter and one of those things was that during her years before finding herself in art she had gone through a delinquent phase where she funded her gap year by the small valuables, a few rings here and a few watches there, she had stolen from various apartments in the she-wolf's ironically cat burglar style. So of course any burglary skills had learned (of which may be a little rusty now) when her parents thought she was gallivanting around the world were definitely going to be put to use...once Lothor Brune leaves the place that is. Of course she felt a little bad about lying to her husband, but things needed to get done and if Arya told him what she was planning on doing Jaime would try everything in his power to stop her probably not call the authorities but close enough.

Two cups of coffee, four doughnuts and one bathroom break later the stocky man with nappy gray hair and a square jaw that is Lothor Brune finally left the building much to the Northern woman's delight because honestly, she was close to calling quits and going back home to finish whatever project she had put on hold. As soon as he rounded the corner, leaving her eyesight Arya Lannister was out of the car making her way towards the building like a woman on a mission with a pep in her step desperately wanting to get this over with before anyone noticed that a woman who clearly wasn't from the neighborhood was trying to enter a seedy apartment building. At this point anyone would be sweating bullets over how they are going to be able to get access, but our heroine wasn't an amateur by a long shot which is why when she got to the doors every button was buzzed hoping that someone would buzz her in thinking she is the takeout delivery man. Within seconds the youngest Stark daughter was in the building and scaling several flights of stairs of stairs before finally making it to the third floor where several mixed smells hit her giving her a whiff of weed, cheap cologne and b.o. giving her several flashbacks to high school when she would hide out in the guys locker room to smoke, but she was Arya Stark Lannister no smell was going to stop her from finding that apartment as she marched down the hallway before finally finding her target before picking the lock and letting herself in. 

“Gods!” Arry said to herself once she made her way inside only to find that it looked like she was standing in a garbage dump grinning slightly to herself since it looks like Mr. Brune never throws anything out which should make finding evidence to link him to the Freys, Boltons and/or the Greyjoys easy as pie. Looking in every nook and cranny of this rundown apartment reminded her of those rare occasions when her parents sent her to Sansa’s room to snoop for them, which compared to this was a walk in the park simply because her sister kept everything organized so it was easy to pick out something that she was trying to find. For a better part of an hour the thin burglar looked into any space that could be used to hide something only to find more dirty magazines than she's ever seen in one place along with some paraphernalia of which Brune was known for wheeling and dealing but nothing of which that interested her until she looked underneath the bed. 

Underneath the bed lay a navy blue briefcase one that seemed very familiar to her almost as if she had seen it being gifted to a family friend by her father in the past within seconds it clicked where she had seen it, but before Mrs. Lannister could investigate footsteps had made their to the flimsy door of the apartment worried that she would be caught the would be James Bond grabbed the briefcase before making her way to the window. Without knowing that she held her breath Arya climbed out of the window, then quickly down the fire escape until she was safely on the ground and away from the window did she begin to breath again now that she was a safe distance from that thug. Knowing that she was in the clear our protagonist began to inspect the briefcase and found that it had the sigil of the Baratheon family along with the initials of their mayor Robert Baratheon proving that something fishy was indeed going on and she was going to get to the bottom of it.


	14. Chapter 14

“This is the first time I've seen Lannisters and Starks in the same room without trying to kill each other!” 

“Well, don't get your hopes up too soon by the looks of it my grandfather and your father look like they are ready to kill each other.” 

“Joanna has them so wrapped around her finger that they wouldn't dare ruin her big day!” 

“Maybe you're right.” The lady of Brightroar agreed with her husband as she turned to watch how the two older men gave the little girl dressed in a mint dress such adoring looks even though her grandfather, the titan of Winterfell that is Rickard Stark, had only just met her today while Tywin has only met her a few times before now. What truly surprised her was how easily Joanna made the Stark patriarch smile, something she's never seen him do something nobody has seen him do since her grandmother died years ago when her dad was her age. 

Looking around the backyard, she too was surprised how well, everyone was getting along despite some of the people who invited of which was mostly family and a few friends Jo made here and there. Thank the seven and the old gods that the other guests made the party more enjoyable while the majority of them came from blue collar families only one of them was from old money a cousin of the Arryns (but a distant one so they really only have the name not the money). While watching the children play with a smile on Arya’s face out the corner of her eye she caught sight of a familiar man with broad shoulders, black hair and blue eyes standing by the gate that secures the back yard from the driveway mostly for when they let Nymeria out the back. 

“Keep the party under control I'll be right back ok?”

“Leaving the party so soon?”

“Just restocking all the adult beverages that you're sister depleted at a record speed.” 

“Don’t be too long we’re going to be opening up presents soon!” Jaime reminded her as Arya made her way through the party determined to find out why a face from her past has shown up at her daughter's birthday party and shoo him away before anyone starts getting curious about the mystery guest. 

After almost eight years Gendry Waters looked almost exactly like he did the night she left him Arya had finally got her shit together along with finally starting to be mentored by a well known artist and he just didn't fit into her new life. If it had just been her there with no one else she might have invited him in for a drink or two, but with tons of people plus her family just feet away Mrs. Lannister had no other option but to grab his collar and drag him off towards the other side of her driveway away from prying eyes. But before the youngest Stark daughter could question him a loud crack rang out sounding an awful like fireworks (which she had definitely forbidden from entering the property) and as the two of them turned to see what it was she watched as Gendry became pale only to find that he had been shot...he had taken a bullet for her.


End file.
